Although they were without three of their best players, Saints took Wessex League leaders Bristol all the way on Sunday before losing by seven shots.

Lee Stocker’s rink did well to beat a strong-looking visiting four by 10. A six dropped on the 15th end, achieved by a brilliant shot from the Bristol skip, sealed the fate of Saints’ other home quartet, who battled well throughout but lost by seven.

With a home advantage of only three shots, St Andrews needed the away rinks to limit the damage at Bristol, which they did.

A three on their final end meant that Bailey’s four lost by seven shots. Barrie Forse’s rink, the last to finish, had fought back from 6-13 down to lead by four with three ends left.

With their score 18-18, Forse and his men needed a four on the final end to win the game overall for St Andrews. However, in attempting to chase the victory, they conceded three shots as Bristol edged home.

On Sunday, Andrew Owens won a terrific match against club mate Barrie Forse to qualify for the area final of the national two-wood singles championship.

In a two-hour battle, there were rarely more than two shots in it before Owens finished strongly to win 21-18.

Immediately, he returned to the rink to partner club mate Sam Stocker against two other Saints’ players, Sam’s dad Lee and Craig Walker, in the quarter-final of the Somerset county pairs.

With every end fiercely contested, Owens and his 17-year-old skip built what looked like a winning lead, 13-1. Two successive threes brought their opponents back into it, then a five edged them ahead for the first time.

With several ends killed, the match went well into its fourth hour before, just after 10.30pm, Lee Stocker and Walker went through by the margin of 25-15.

On Saturday, Barrie Forse and Ken Uglow put Saints in yet another national area final when they beat a Street duo 23-7 at home in the over-60 pairs.

Saints’ 16-year-old Imogen Cracknell got through to the last 16 of the national under-18 singles when her Devon opponent gave her a walkover. She will play in the finals at Church Gresley, Derbyshire, on March 18/19.

The men put on a strong performance in the County League against North Petherton, winning by 82-66 on overall shots, with rinks two all, and scooping 12 of the 16 points available.

At home, Dave Nicholls and his men scored steadily throughout the game, including two five scores to triumph 29-10.

On the other home rink, Eddie Payne’s side stayed in touch with the opposition and were only three behind at halfway but then North Petherton turned up the pressure slightly and slowly expanded their lead to win 16-25.

Colin Moss’ rink had a remarkable away win, limiting their opponents to winning only six ends and so claiming an emphatic win which, at 23 shots to 12, made a substantial contribution to the club’s victory. Keith Pettit’s lads fought hard and were level after 11 ends, only two behind after 18 and whilst conceding the win, limited the damage to five shots.

The men also won a friendly against North Petherton at home, with the overall score 50 shots to 41 with rinks one all. Roy Thurkettle’s group laid down the foundation with a convincing victory, after retaking the lead on end four they never looked back. A five score on end 11 gave a 12 point lead which was sustained for the rest of the game, helped by another five, winning 31 shots to 18.

Clive Panchaud’s bunch worked hard, winning more ends than their opponents but not by as much as them. Conceding a seven-score did not help but a spirited finish led to a close result at 19-23.

The mixed friendly squad won a close match at home against St Andrews of Weston with one rink each and 33 shots to 29 overall. Richard McHale’s outfit didn’t take the lead until end 12 but then made it pay by pulling away with the help of two six scores, to a 21-14 victory.

Maureen Hordle’s rink prevented the opposition from scoring until end six but they took the lead on end 10 and by dint of winning nine of the last eleven ends, took the match by three shots, 12-15.